Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-01-21

Battles of the Times " Is attracting
a great deal Of attention The two
battles referrel to are the labor pro-
blem and the temperance question.
In regard to the condition OF the
laboring population in Europe, he
says there has been a steady emerg-
ing from a condition of degradation
to one of increasing comforts. Men
are earning more money than ever
before, though with increasing wages
come increasing expenses for things
now considered as necessities. There
is, however, unrest; and the social
ism produced is the bane Of Europe.
In this country the government can
not interfere between labor and capt
tai, nor can it go into banking. In
regard to the Temperance question
Mr.. Beecher thinks that government
would overstep its limits by stopping
the manufacture and sale of intoxi-
eating liquors. Mr.. Beecher's lee
turc, is, in part, as follows:
All Europe glancos toward the
horizon with apprehension. Exter-
nally all Is calm; internally all is
confusion and wretchedness. Why
this misery? Are the people starv-
ing? Are they destitute of the ne
cessities of life? Never was more
money earned there than today; but
this money is squandered in muni-
tions of war and other State ex-
penses. Europe today is barbaric,
not to say beaStly. Another reason
for this trouble is that the people
are better off than they ever We're
before. An advance in civilization
is always accompanied by discon-
tent; every step up from animal life
is step towards expensiveness.
Great Britain is in state of unrest,
too. I have seen a good many cleo
lions in this country, but never have
| seen such excitement as was shown
in England, last summer, when
Gladstone was on trial and was I'M
justly condemned-soon to be tried
again and crowned. Then, there
will be no peace for England
until she gets Ireland off her hands
and that will not be until she
takes her to her bosom. The discs
Enlistment of the English Church
is sure to come. In talking with
several clergymen and men Of prom.
inence in the church ! found that
they displayed no animosity, but
rather an eager desire to learn how
things were managed over here.
The House Of Lords is bound to be
done away with in the near future.
The thing which is causing most
trouble in Europe is Socialism
which is divided into Anarchism,
which believes in the doctrine of
total depravity, and so is thoroughly
Calvinistic; Communism, which is
having everybody partners, all re-
ceivlng a dividend each year, and
Socialism proper, which is confined
chiefly to the laboring classes. So
cialism IS based on the doctrine that
all men are equal; but it is known
that all men are not equal. The
thinking men are always at the top:
put thinking man down, and he
will come up as surely as a cork
under water. A government can.
not have full power over all citizens
if such government were made up
of saints and angels they would be
fallen angels in ten years. The
function of a government is to pre-.
serve peace and order. I am in
sympathy with the knights oil
Labor movement, but I do not
believe in eight hour legislation.
Some men ought not to work eight
hours'a day-minister5 for instance
while Others ought to work longer.
Now England wasn't built on eight
hours a day. | do not believe
in Sunday legislation; l think
every man should be allowed
to exercise his own discretion about
that.
Now as to the other great battle
for temperance. | do not believe
prohibition will ever be achieved
If l could cast one vote and knew
it would result in prohibition, o
course, | should cast it, although
there would be large financial loss
to the country; however it is better
to lose things than men. The saloor
element is always united; there is
always revival going on in every
saloon, and there are never any
"Andover trials" there either. |